The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-10-03
MINISTER'S LIMIT.
DR.. W. 4. BOggs's Sermon De.
livcred Last Night.
He Declares that Ministers Have
No Right 10 NEEDLE In Pei
tiles.

DR.. W. L, Boggs, pastor Il the
Second Presbyterian church, occupied
his pulpit yesterday morning and
evening. By some mistake his srriv-
al and his intention to preach yestor-
day was not announced, consequently
a great number Of his admirers will b
disappointed to learn this morning
what they had missed. The reverend
gentleman took his text from the first
epistle ct Paul to the Corinthians, VII,
9-l0 III
.. Know 70 not that the unIishteous shaut
not inherit the kingtom Of Godf Be not de-
nor adulterars. nor saeminsts, nsr sbussrs
OF themselves with mankind,
10. Nor thieves, nor sovetous,. nor drunk
ards, nor revilcrs, nor extortisnsrs. shall
inherit the Kingdom OF God.
The eermoA in Bu Distance iB as bols
lowe:
"We are to DO congratulated, We
should congratulate ourselvee, that
there is q manifest intention on the
part OF our greatest men and greatest
thinkers to endesvor to propose some
plan by which the evil Of intemper-
ance, II not wiped out entirely, will at
least be lessened." The minister then
drew vivid and powerful picture Of
the misery, woe and crime that re-
suits from an incorporate use Of in
tcxicante. He showed by the life
table OF O prominent London frm..
that the cost OF intemperanoS
was two.thirds OF mans life-thst ID
who was sound in body, but had con-
trscted the habit Of strong drink, hiG
life would be shortened two. thirds.
II was good that some endeavor wa{
being made to legislate upon this evil
He differed with the physicians whO
said that tho indulgence Of stronf
drink to an incorporate degree was
disease, but at the same time diseaso
resulted from II, and these physiciana
and scientists did right In utilizing the
remedies which God had given q
cure the body. But notwithstanding
all the crimes that resulted from
drunkenness, the greatest crime wac
against God. The drunkard, In the
eyes Of the Lord and the church, wss
q criminal Of the lowest and vilea
type. Look what company W.
fad him in; look at his associate
evil doors. Where do We find
him2 In the middle Of the black.
est list OF the blacklist crimes. HIS
companions are fornicators, idolators,
adulterere, thieves, extortioners, re-
vilers. This is the place the Almighty
God gives him. Then should not our 50
called christian government take steps
to better society by stamping drunken.
mes outY Bot with the civil processes
the church OF lie ministers have moth.
ing TO do. It's not In the province Of
the minister to become q politician.
II is his duty to deal with
the evil as an ofense against
the law OF the Lord, against the
law Of the church, not as an ofense
against society. The minister, Of
course, "a q citizen and 70 man, has
his privileges as bis fellow citizens,
but In the pulpit he has no right, and
the Holy Scriptures do not accord him
the right TO deal with things political
In the pulpit. He has prescribed linn.
! its, and a. true minister OF the gospel
OF his Master, the Lord Jesus Christ,
he has no right 10 20 beyond these
1 H.
there is q special penalty for the Gin.
Here DR.. Boggs quoted the scriptures
on the limits OF the minister, and
, showed conclusively that with the
prohibition question "a O civil ques-
, ton, the preacher had no right OF
title to touch. For, be said, does II
not tsy that be who takes from
or adds to the gospel shall be
tfilicted with plaques, and as fol
himself he did not care 10 be 30 A.
filcted.
He had often been asked, and nc
: doubt many Ct his hearers wondered
: why he did not insist that total ab.
! Atinence was necessary In true chiis-
, tian life. II Ia not necessary. The
Bible doeo TO. prohibit the use oil
4 wine In pTayeriul and tsmperat,
!. manner. TIE Bible speaks ysry
, plainly about this. He then read
where II was used for the siomach'l
a take-then again II represented III,
a blood OF Christ, end still in another
: place the Bible spoke OF our Savior
!. converting water into wine at q mar.
I. rage feast. This last was the social
use OF wine. He said that before he
would presume 10 say that he prohlb.
/. tied, rs q minister OF the Lord, the
!. use Of wine In the way in which our
sAylor used II he would I'D
? a mlllstone about his neck and ding
himself into the river that rolls by
our city, by teaching total abstinenc
40 q rt requirement Of the christian 70.
: ligion be would be- mskiog himself out
more wise than his master, and THU
, he did not intend 10 do. II was we'll
3 no thought, for some men TO OBJ
. serve total abstinence. They
: are the weaklings, and L,
was the proper thing for them 10 do
7 The Bible, too, allows this, but Il does
D not lay u down a. q rule. The In.
. dividual must take this responsibility
, upon himself.
The doctor then went on 10 ca. that
be did not advise the course OF regular
drinking even In . social way, that
he was himself opposed 70 II, bui
90 the pastor Of church he
, could not prohibit the temperate and
prayeriul use oil wine among the men,
bers Of his congregation, because he,
90 an humble representation OF the
Lord Jesus Christ, could not prohibit
the use Of that which bis master did